Hinge



y 7, 1963 F. P. ROBBINS 3,088,162

HINGE Filed April 12, 1960 INVENTORtl9 FREDERICK P. ROBBINS ATTORNEYS 3,088,162 HINGE Frederick P. Robbins, 224 S. Michigan Blvd, Chicago 4, Ill. Filed Apr. 12, 19 60, Ser. No. 21,632 7 (Iiaims. (Cl. 16180) The present invention relates in general to hinges and has more particular reference to a spring-pressed hinge structure especially well adapted for incorporation in spring clips, clipboards, loose leaf binders, and other devices and articles embodying spring biased hinge structures.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an exceedingly sime and inexpensive hinge comprising formed sheet metal parts adapted for rapid assembly with minimum etiort by merely sliding the parts together axially of the hinge.

Another important object is to provide a hinge of utmost simplicity comprising a pair of formed parts adapted for relative rocking movement, one upon the other, and a leaf spring adapted for assembly on the parts in position to hold them together and to yieldingly resist rocking movement of one part in one direction on the other.

Another important object is to provide a hinge comprising a pair of parts formed for relative tilting movement, one upon the other, about the axis of the hinge, said parts being formed with spring seating slots extendparallel with respect to the axis of the hinge, and a spring comprising a strip of resilient material bent longitudinally to form the opposite lateral edge portions of the strip as spring seating flanges extending in parallel planes, the spring being assembled in the hinge structure with said seating flanges respectively extending in the spring mounting slots of the relatively rockable parts, the medial portions of the spring embracing and enclosing said parts and serving to hold the same together.

A further object of the invention is to provide the relatively rockable parts of the hinge with spring seating slots having open ends at least at one end of the hinge, to permit the spring to be mounted in the slots by sliding the same into position, through the open ends of the slots, in the axial direction of the hinge.

A still further object of the invention is to form the spring in the shape of a sheet metal trough having one side higher than the other, the marginal portions of the higher side, outwardly of the terminal edge of the shorter side, being bent inwardly toward said shorter side, and the terminal edge of said inwardly bent portion being bent toward the bottom of the trough to form a re-entrant flange extending medially between and parallel with respect to the shorter side and the lower portions of the higher side of the trough, such spring configuration being particularly well suited for assembly in the hinge structure, rapidly and with minimum effort, and serving not only to efiecrively interlock the relatively tiltable parts of the hinge structure together, but also to provide maximum enclosure for the relatively rockable portions of the hinge.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spring-pressed binder for a notebook incorporating a. hinge structure embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged sectional view of the hinge structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a formed sheet metal spring which may be used as a component in a hinge structure embodying the present invention.

To illustrate the invention the drawings show a hinge structure 11 comprising a pair of parts 13 and 15 tormed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring 17 formed for interfitting engagement with the parts 13 and 15 in order to hold the same together in hinging relationship and to yieldingly urge one of the parts on the other in one direction around the axis of the hinge.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 1, the hinge structure of the present invention may be incorporated in a clipboard, which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a notebook. This clipboard notebook, as shown, may comprise a backboard or panel 19 having the hinge component 15 formed on or secured to the backboard, as at the top or back edge thereof, in position extending across the panel. Inwardly of the hinge component 15, the backboard or panel 19' may be provided with an upstanding flange or lug or other abutment forming means 21 disposed in position for engagement with the top or rear edge of a pad or stack of paper sheets 23, to aline and position the pad or stack on the panel 19.

In order to hold the pad or stack of paper sheets 23 upon the panel, the hinge component 13 may be formed with a portion 25 adapted to extend above and hence act as a cover for the upper or abutment adjacent end of the pad or stack 23, the action of the spring 17 serving to press the portion 25 downwardly upon the pad in order thus to clamp or clip the same firmly upon the back panel 19.

In order to constitute the device shown in FIG. 1 as a clipboard notebook, a cover panel 27 may be connected with the hinge component 13, as by means of a conventional or other suitable hinge 29, at and along the edge of the clip portion 25 remote from the hinge structure 11. The so hinged cover panel may normally overlie the top of the pad or stack of sheets 23, or may the swung upon the hinge 2 to the open position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 of the drawing, in which the cover panel 27 overlies the clip portion 25 and the hinge structure 11. By pressing downwardly upon the cover panel 27 when in such open position, the hinge component 13 may be swung, on the component 15, from the normal or clip closed position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings, to the shifted or clip open position, shown in dotted lines, in order to retract the clip portion 25 from pad securing position and thus open the clip formed by the hinge, the spring 17 yielding to permit such action. The parts, of course, will instantly return from the open or retracted position to the normal or closed position, by action of the spring 17, immediately upon release of the cover panel 27.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the hinge of the present invention may be constructed by forming the hinge component 15 with a narrow, relatively deep slot 31 extending between the opposite ends of the hinge structure, the component 15 being also formed with an outwardly curved or convex semi-cylindrical surface 33. The desired configuration may be attained by forming the component 15 from a piece of relatively rigid sheet metal by turning an edge portion 35 thereof through an angle of the order of and into parallel spaced relation with respect to the body portion 36 of said piece, to thereby form the slot 31 to desired width between the portions 35 and 36, the semi-cylindrical surface 33 being formed at the junction of said portions, and the axis of the hinge extending at the boti 3 tom of the slot 31 along the center line of curvature of the surface 33.

The hinge component 13 may also be formed with a narrow, relatively deep slot 37 and a concave or inwardly curved quarter-cylindrical surface 39 formed for sliding engagement with the convex semi-cylindrical surface 33 around the center line of curvature thereof, the component 13 being also formed with a flat abutment surface 41 forming a continuation of the quarter-cylindrical surface 39 on one side thereof, in position to engage a cooperating flat abutment surface 42 formed on the component 15' on one side and as a continuation of the semi-cylindrical surface 33, engagement of the surface 41 and 42 serving to limit relative turning movement or the component 13 in one direction on the component 15 in the relative positions of said components shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The foregoing configuration of the component 13 may be readily accomplished by forming the component from a piece of sheet metal by bending an edge portion 43 of the piece through an angle of the order of 180 to form a U- shaped trough having spaced walls 43 and 44 defining the slot 37, then bending the trough wall 44 through an angle of the order of 90 with respect to the body of the sheet metal piece while outwardly curving the terminal edge of the base remote trough wall 43 to form the quarfer-cylindrical surface 39 at the terminal end of the trough forming flange.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the component 13 may be applied to the component 15 with the abutment surfaces 41 and 42 in facing engagement and with the semi-cylindrical surface 33 in engagement with the quarter-cylindrical bearing surface 39. It will be seenvalso that the component 13 may be turned on the component 15 by sliding the quarter-cylindrical bearing surface 39 upon the semi-cylindrical surface 33, such movement causing the abutment surface 41 to turningly separate from the abutment surface 42 in the manner indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

In order to retain the hinge components 13 and 15 in operative engagement and to yieldingly urge the same toward the limit position determined by engagement of the abutment surfaces 41 and 42, the spring 17 may convenienfly comprise a strip of resilient sheet metal having thickness of the order of 0.007", the strip being bent on spaced apart, parallel and longitudinally extending bend lines 45 to provide a trough embodying a bottom wall 47, a side wall 49 of desired height and a substantially higher side wall 51, said side walls preferably extending in spaced apart parallel planes normal to the bottom wall 47 and being joined thereto by connecting portions having a radius of curvature of the order of 0.03". The terminal edge portions of the higher trough wall 51 may be bent therefrom through an angle of the order of 180 in order to form a re-entrant flange 53 extending within the trough in position between and parallel with respect to the spaced apart side walls 49 and 51 of the trough, said re-entrant flange being connected with the side wall 51 by a preferably semi-cylindrically curved connecting portion 55.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the opposite edge portions of the strip of material which forms the spring 17 respectively form the flanges 49 and 53, the terminal ends of which face in opposite directions. The end of the flange 53 is spaced from and faces toward the bottom wall 47 of the trough. The terminal end of the flange 49 faces away from said bottom Wall 47. The spring 17 is thus sized and configurated so that the flanges 49 and 53 may interfit respectively in the spring mounting slots 37 and 31 of the hinge components 13- and 15, the spring 17 being so configurated that it may readily be assembled in interfitting relationship on the components 13 and 15, when the same are in the relatively closed position determined by engagement of the abutments 41 and 42, merely by alining the spring flanges 49 and 53 respectively with the seating slots 67 and 31, at one end of the binge structure, and by then sliding the spring endwise onto the components 13 and 15, in the direction of the axis of the hinge, until the opposite ends of the spring are brought into registration with the opposite ends of the slots.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attend: ant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A hinge embodying a pair of components comprising sheets bent to form cooperating bearing portions for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring interfittingly interconnected with said components in position holding the same in rocking engagement and normally urging one component turningly in one direction on the other, one of said sheets having a portion bent to form a convex semi-cylindrical bearing portion and a spring mounting slot opening in a direction facing oppositely from said convex bearing portion, the other sheet being bent to form a concave bearing portion for sliding movement on said convex portion and a spring mounting slot opening in a direction facing oppositely from said concave portiomsaid spring comprising a strip of resilient mater al formed with a pair of spaced, oppositely extending edge flanges for interfitting engagement in said slots and an intermediate portion in position to extend around and cover the bearing portions.

2. A binge comprising a pair of cooperating bearing components formed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring interfittingly iuterconnected with said components in position holding the same in rocking engagement and normally urging one component turningly in one direction on the other, said hinge components comprising sheet metal parts each having an end portion bent over upon the body of the part to form a spring mounting slot, between said bent-over end portion and the facing portion of the body, said bent-over portion forming a convex bearing surface on one component and a cooperating concave surface on the other, said spring comprising a strip of resilient material formed with spaced flanges for interfitting engagement in said slots.

3. A ihinge comprising a pair of cooperating bearing components formed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring interfittingly interconnected with said components in position holding the same in rock-ing engagement and normally urging one compo nent turningly in one direction on the other, a said hinge component comprising a sheet metal part having an end portion bent over upon the body of the part to form a spring mounting slot, between said body and the bent-over end portion, and convex semi-cylindrical bearing surface centered on a line extending at the bottom of said slot, the other component having a concave bearing portion for sliding engagement on said convex surface and a spring mounting slot opening in a direction facing away from said' bearing portion, said spring comprising a strip of resilient material formed with spaced flanges for interfitting engagement in said slots.

4. A hinge comprising a pair of cooperating bearing components formed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring interfittingly interconnected with said components in position holding the same in rocking engagement and normally urging one component turningly in one direction on the other, a said hinge component having a convex semi-cylindrical bearing surface and a spring mounting slot opening in a direction facing away from said bearing surface, the other component comprising a sheet metal part having an end portion bent over the body of the part to form a spring mounting slot between said body and the bent-over end portion, the

;terminal edge portion of said bent-over end portion being pylindrically curved for sliding engagement on said convex surface, said spring comprising a strip of resilient material formed with spaced flanges for interfitting engagement in said slots.

5. A hinge comprising a pair or" cooperating bearing components formed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring interfittingly interconnected with said components in position holding the same in rocking engagement and normally urging one component turningly in one direction on the other, a said hinge component comprising a sheet metal part having an end portion bent over upon the body of the part to form a spring mounting slot, between said body and the bent-over end portion, and a convex semi-cylindrical bearing surface centered on a line extending at the bottom of said slot, the other component comprising a sheet metal part having an end portion bent over upon the body of the part to form a spring mounting slot between said body and the bent-over end portion, the terminal edge portion of said bent-over end portion being cylindrically curved for sliding engagement on said convex surface, said spring comprising a strip of resilient material formed with spaced flanges for interfitting engagement in said slots.

6. A hinge comprising a pair of cooperating bearing components formed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and a spring interfittingly interconnected wtih said components in position holding the same in locking engagement and normally urging one component turningly in one direction on the other, one of said components having a convex semi-cylindrical bearing portion and a spring mounting slot opening in a direction facing away from said convex bearing portion, the other component having a concave portion for sliding movement on said convex portion and a spring mounting slot opening in a direction facing away from said concave portion, the open sides of said slots facing in opposite directions, said spring comprising a strip of resilient material shaped as a channel having one side wider than the other, the outer portions of the wider side being bent inwardly and disposed re-entrantly within said channel between and in spaced parallel relation with respect to the narrower side and the base of the wider side, said narrower side and the re-entrantly disposed outer portions of the wider side being respectively mounted in said oppositely facing slots.

7. A hinge comprising a pair of cooperating bearing components formed for relative rocking movement, the one upon the other, and .a spring interfittingly interconnected with said components in position holding the same in rocking engagement and normally urging one component turningly in one direction on the other, said hinge components comprising sheet metal parts each having an end portion bent over upon the body of the part to form a spring mounting slot between said bent-over end portions and the facing portions of the body, said bent-over portions forming a convex bearing surface on one component, a cooperating concave bearing surface on the other component, the open sides of said slots facing in opposite directions, said spring comprising a strip of resilient material shaped as a channel having one side wider than the other, the outer portions of the wider side being bent inwardly and disposed re-entrantly within said channel between and in spaced parallel relation with respect to the narrower side and the base of the Wider side, said narrower side and the re-entrantly disposed outer portions of the wider side being respectively mounted in said oppositely facing slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 104,252 Bidwell u- June 14, 1870 306,402 Johnston Oct. l4, 1884 1,086,423 Ublig Feb. 10, 1914 1,632,459 Van Valkenburg June 14, 1927 2,742,665 Stopek Apr. 24, 1956 

2. A HINGE COMPRISING A PAIR OF COOPERATING BEARING COMPONENTS FORMED FOR RELATIVE ROCKING MOVEMENT, THE ONE UPON THE OTHER, AND A SPRING INTERFITTINGLY INTERCONNECTED WITH SAID COMPONENTS IN POSITION HOLDING THE SAME IN ROCKING ENGAGEMENT AND NORMALLY URGING ONE COMPONENT TURNINGLY IN ONE DIRECTION ON THE OTHER, SAID HINGE COMPONENTS COMPRISING SHEET METAL PARTS EACH HAVING AN END PORTION BENT OVER UPON THE BODY OF THE PART TO FORM A SPRING MOUNTING SLOT, BETWEEN SAID BENT-OVER END PORTION AND THE FACING PORTION OF THE BODY, SAID BENT-OVER PORTION FORMING A CONVEX BEARING SURFACE ON ONE COMPONENT AND A COOPERATING CONCAVE SURFACE ON THE OTHER, SAID SPRING COMPRISING A STRIP OF RESILIENT MATERIAL FORMED WITH SPACED FLANGES FOR INTERFITTING ENGAGEMENT IN SAID SLOTS. 